The invention relates in general to fiber analysis, and more specifically to an improved fiber analysis system which exhibits improved efficiency in labor and time, and minimizes the amount of apparatus required.
In general, fiber analysis is conducted in order to determine analytical data that will aid in predicting the extent of the nutritional availability of forage and other feedstuff for animals. Fiber determinations are also important in human nutrition, and have gained increased prominence since the benefit that fiber has on the gastrointestinal tract has been recognized.
The currently accepted techniques used for fiber analysis include neutral detergent fiber (NDF) analysis and acid detergent fiber (ADF) analysis originally described by P. J. Van Soest and others and involves the solubilization of non-fiber components of the feed in boiling detergent solution, with the residual material described as neutral detergent fiber or acid detergent fiber depending on the solution used. In this procedure, the recovery of the residual fiber by filtering and subsequent washing, utilizes individual glass crucibles and filtration units. The filtration procedure associated with the analysis requires pains taking, labor intensive and time consuming tasks. Although improvements in the filtering procedures have been made they still require individual handling and filtering which limits the efficiency of these procedures.
Agricultural Handbook No. 379 entitled Forage Fiber Analyses (Apparatus, Reagents, Procedures, and Some Applications); pages 1-20; by H. K. Goering and P. J. Van Soest; Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture describes in detail these currently available procedures which are the standard for government, industry, and academia. The criteria set forth in the article describes the equipment and labor intensive requirement of the procedure in which typically a minimum of six (6) detergent reflux containers and attendant heating apparatus are required to maintain boiling solutions that keep the fiber in continuous suspension. Similarly, a minimum of six (6) filtration units are also required to accommodate individual products from each of the reflux containers. It is stated in the article that the standardized methods and equipment in the laboratory are mandatory in order to obtain precise analytical results. It is recommended in the article that enough equipment be provided to adequately run a basic analysis such as cell wall (neutral detergent fiber) continuously for an eight hour period at a recommended 12 unit refluxing apparatus and a drying oven large enough to hold 80 crucibles to make this objective possible.
It can therefore be seen from the above, that the current state of the art with regard to fiber analysis requires a significant expenditure and commitment to laboratory equipment associated with a difficult labor intensive and time consuming procedure which is inherent in the current standard procedure for fiber analysis.
There is, and has been a continuing need in this field for a procedure that will significantly improve the efficiency of the fiber analysis process that minimizes the investment in equipment, and yet insures that the analysis is equivalent to the standard procedure with regard to the eventual determination of fiber content.